Tape-transmitting apparatus for transmitting electrical impulses.



v H. K. HARRIS. TAPE TRANSMITTING APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICALIMPULSES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. I915.

1,5,1 w Patented Jam-15, 1918.

3 SiiEETS-SHEET 1.

w H. K. HARRIS. TAPE TRANSMITTING APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICALIMPULSES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. I915.

' 13253 1 8', Patented Jan. 15,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. K. HARmsf ANSMITTING APPARATUS. FOR TRANSNHTT TAPE TB APPLICAUONFILED JUNE 7, H5-

lNG ELECTRICAL IMPULSES.

Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HENRY KINGSFORLD HARRIS, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

TAPEQIRANSMITTING APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL IMPULSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan... I5, rare.

Application filed June 7, 1915. Serial No. 32630.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Kinosrono theme, a subject of the King of-Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 96 Victoria street, Westminster,in the county of London, England, have invented certain "new and usefulImprovements in Tape-Transmitting Apparatus for Transmitting ElectricalImpulses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, andenact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tape transmitting apparatus by means of whichelectrical impulses can be transmitted in any desired sequenc'eover oneor more lines and refers moreparticularly to an improved constructionalform of device of the foregoingdescription, which, while beingapplicable for transmitting electrical impulses generally is especiallysuitable for transmitting such impulses for the purpose of operatingelectrical devices for making public announcements, exhibitingadvertisements and for other analogous purposes.

The characteristic features of the said invention will now be more fullydescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings and ascertained bythe claims.

In the drawings z- Figure 1 shows front elevation of the device; 7

Figure 2 shows plan Fig. 3 shows a detail;

Figs. 4: and 45 show-side elevation and plan of another detail;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view;

Fig. 6 shows in front elevation and part section an addition to themechanism shown at Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 7 shows plan of same;

Fig. 8 shows side elevation.

Figs. 9 and 10 show section of a detail on line 9, 9, 10, 10,respectively, Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 shows a portion of a perforated tape for use in connection withthisdevicc.

The same letters of reference are employed to denote the same parts inall the views Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 1 is a roller provided centrallyon its periphery with pro jecting pins 2- so shaped andarranged as toengage with the rows of feeding perforations 2. The roller 1 has alsoupon its 'surface a number of rows ofholes 3 coming atsuch a positionthat they are immediately beneathpins 4, as'will be seen clearly fromFigs. 4 and l- These pins *1 are contact making pinsand may be arrangedside by side to any number according to the method of perforating thetape employed.

Aswill be seen from Fig. 2, two pins are employed in the case underconsideration. These pins are slightly pressed downward by means of aspring and their upper enc normally hold one end of a rocking device 5upward, so that the other end of the said rocking device is out ofcontact with the contact making screw 6. 7 is a perforated tape, shownin plan at Fig. 11, which is fed forward upon aface plate 8. When aperforation is brought into position beneath one of the pins 4; it dropsthrough the same and comes into the hole in the roller 1. This actionfurther allows the rocking piece 5 associated with the pin to make acontact with its particular contact 6, and sends an i1npulse to the linewhich is provided with a source of power. 9 is a spring normally comingupon the surface of the tape between the perforations and so arranged asto press the tape into contact with the roller 1. One end of thisspringis attached to a lever 10 pivoted to the casing. 11 is a lever oneend of which comes into contact with the notched end of the lever 10 andthe other end of which is provided with a handle. When the handle ispulled in the direction of the arrow .12. the spring 9 which constitutesa pressing foot israisedfrom the surface of the tape. 13 is anotherspring which is capable of en gaging with the pins or collars 14 uponthe pins at, and it will be seen that when the handle of the lever '11is rocked over both the pressing foot 9 and the row of pins 4- areraised free of the tape.

In order to free the tape from the feeding pins 2 another springcontrolled plate 15 is provided coming beneath the tape and whenpressure of the foot 9 is taken off the spring device 15 lifts the tapeclearof the pins 2.

The tape is fed forward through the machine by the electric motor 16which drives the wheel 17 through the reducing gear shown. This reducinggear comprises a device for varying the speed of the drive whichconsists in a friction disk 18 which engages with the plate 19 carriedby the motor spindle at any desired radius from the center thereof, sothat'the proportionaterotation of these two disks can be varied. 20 is ascrew head connected to the shaft of the friction disk 18 and by turningthe screw head 20 the position of the disk 18 with respect to the plate19 can be varied. The axle of the wheel 17 is provided with a pinion orcam 21, having one tooth, which tooth, once every revolution meshes withthe teeth of the wheel 22, and causes this to move around through thedistance of one tooth, and consequently causes the pins 2 to feedforward the tape 7 one division, as the wheel 22 is fixed upon the axleof the roller 1.

This machine as will be understood, if provided with more pins, brushesor other contact-making devices is adapted for use with tapes having anydesired number of rows of perforations as well as for tapes with one ortwo rows of perforations, it being simply'neccssary to disconnect thecircuits of the pins not actually being employed. form of pin which Iprefer to use is illustrated in the detail shown at Fig. 3, which showsthe lower portion of the pin. It will be seen that. the pin is somewhatsquared in cross section, and presents a rounded contour to theadvancing tape, so that the edges of the holes in the wheel which areslightly smaller than the perforations, catch behind the rounded portionand raise the pin easily without any fear of the same tearing the tape,thus enabling the same tape to be repeatedly used.

Referring to the diagram of connections shown at Fig. 5, the lowerportions of which. connections are preferably arranged within the baseof the apparatus shown at Figs. 1 and 2, 23 and 24 are two terminals onthe side of the casing. A conductor leads from the first of theseterminals to one brush of the motor 16. The conductor passes from theterminal 24 to a contact 25, the other brush of the motor is connectedto a pivoted conducting arm 26. 27 is an operating handle. also seeFigs. 1 and 2, connected to a slide and when the handle is pushed overto the right the pivoted and spring-controlled conducting arm 26 makescontact with the contact plate 25; thus if a suitable source of power isconnected to the terminals 23 and 24 when the handle 27 is pushed overthe motor is started.

The casing carrying the gearing driving the roller 1 is preferablyfitted on to a sliding base and provided at the back with three springplunger contacts 28, 29 and 30.

These are insulated from the metal casing and come into forced contactwith other contacts carried by the insulated base 31, see Fig. 2. Thecontact 30 is connected to one of the contact making devices 6, and thecontact 29 to the other contact device 6 The contact 28 is connected toa conducting plate 32. 33 is a pivoted conducting arm also controlledfrom the handle 27 which is connected to a terminal 34, and it should bementioned that when the arm 27 is pushed over to bring the motor intocircuit, the conducting plate 33 makes contact with the contact plate32.

35 is another terminal, the terminals 34 and 35 being connected to asource of power which may be weak or strong according to whether thesystem is to be worked by relays or by direct transmission;

The back of the apparatus is provided with three other terminals 36, 37,38 all being connected at the exterior of the apparatus with suitablerelays and switches 39, and then to the lines 40 and 41, a suitablesource of power being located in the circuits. I 7

It will be seen that on the interior of the casing the terminal 36 isconnected to the contact 29, the terminal 38 to the contact 30, whilethe terminal 37 is connected to. the terminal 35.

When the. arm 33 is in contact withthe plate 32 and the perforated tapecauses the contact making arm 5 to come into connection with the contact6, a suitable impulse is sent to the line while when the contact piece 5comes into contact with the piece {3: a suitable contact is sent to theother here no device for regulating the time of the impulse is providedthe contact 28 is connected with the metallic casing of the instrument,but where such a device is furnished the contact is in connection with aportion thereof, lettered in this case 40 which is insulated from themetal casing.

A device for varying the duration of the time of contact and theinterval between, is shown at Figs. 6 to 10. This mechanism is intendedto be located at the;lefthand bottom corner of the casing shown at Figs.1 and 2. In these figures 41 is a gear wheel intended to mesh with thegear wheel 17, and of similar size to the said gear wheel so that everytime the tape moves through one tooth the wheel 41 is rotated throughone revolution. The spindle of the gear wheel carries an'insulated camroller 42 of the peculiar shape shown. 43 is an arm provided with aprojection 44- kept pressed against the surface of the cam roller. Thearm 43 is attached to a traveling nut 45 and extended back into anotherarm 46 pro vided with contact-making screw 47. 48 is a tension springfor keeping the arm 46 pulled normally downward. 49 is a block ofinsulating material carrying the conducting plate 40, suitably connectedas previously explained to the contact 28. 49 is a bar forming a stopfor limiting the rocking action of the contact arm 47.

50 is a rod for guiding the nut 45.

l/Vhen the projection 44 is on the lower surface of the cam roller thecontact screw 47 makes electrical contact with .theplate40?,whilewhenthe saidprojection ison the highersurface of the cam theseparts are out ofcontact.

The nut 45 is mounted upon a screw 51 located between the side plates ofthe casing and capable of being rotated by a head 52. When the head 52is rotated the nut 45is causedto travel and take with it the arms a3 and46. Owing to the peculiar formation of the cam 42 it will be seen thatwhen thearm a3 is at one end of the cam the period during which theprojection 44 ison theupper surface thereof is the maximum, that isto'say the time during-which the electrical'contact is made is reducedto a minimum, while when the arm is at the other end of the cam the timeduring which the projection is on the upper surface is a minimum, thusgiving the maximum electrical contact, and between these two extremesany desired intermediate setting may be made.

Errors in aunching the tape may be automatically eliminated by providingan extra contact-making brush passing over an obliterating perforation,which operates a cutout at the right time, thus preventing the faultyplace in the tape spoiling the indication.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States of America is 1. In an apparatus for transmittingimpulses, a rotatable member over which a perforated tape is adapted topass, means for causing an electrical contact to be made each time aperforation of the tape passes between the said means and rotatablemember, gearing for intermittently operating the rotatable member, andmeans to actuate the gearing so that it will operate at differentspeeds,

2. In apparatus for transmitting impulses, a rotatable member over whicha perforated tape is adapted to pass, means for making electricalcontact each time a. perforation of the tape passes between said meansand rotatable member, means to drive the rotatable member, and means forregu lating the duration of time of contact, said means comprising avariable cam, a contact member having a portion thereof engaging theearn, a support for the contact member, and means to move the supportlongitudinally of the cam.

3. In apparatus for transmitting impulses, a rotatable member over whicha perforated tape is adapted to pass, means for causing an electricalcontact to be made each time a perforation of the tape passes betweenthe said means and rotatable memher, a shaft to drive the rotatablemember, a gear carried by the shaft and adapted to turn the shaft,second shaft, a single toothed element carried by the second named shaftto engage said gear and advance the gear a step upon a completerevolution of said single toothed element, a secondgear secured to thesecond named shaft to drive it, means to rotate the second named gear,means for regulating the duration of time of contact including avariable cam and a contact member engaging therewith and adapted to beadjusted with relation thereto, and a gear for driving the variable .camand having substantially the same diameter as the second named gear andengaging therewith to be driven thereby.

l. In apparatus for transmitting impulses, a rotatable drum providedupon its periphery with recesses, a spring pressed contact-memberdisposed near the drum, a control pin arranged adjacent to the drum. andei'igaging the contact member and having a lateral. extension, a pivotedlever arrangedwuear the drum, a pressing foot carried b the pivoted.lever and adapted to contact with a perforated tape passing over thedrum, an elevatinginember carried by the pivoted lever to engage withthe lateral extension of the control pin to shift the same away from thedrum, and means to swing the pivoted lever upon its pivot.

5. In an apparatus for transmitting impulses, a drum having openings andfeed pins on its periphery and over which a perforated tape passes withits feed perforations engaging the feed pins of the drum, a control pinabove the drum and tape and adapted to pass through the other perforaetions of the tape into the openings of the drum, a pivoted and springpressed contact member engaged by the control pin and normally heldagainst movement in one direction by said control pin, and means forintermittently rotating said drum.

6. In an apparatus for transmitting electrical impulses, a rotatablemember over which a perforated. tape passes, means for causing anelectrical contact to be made each time a perforation of the tape passesbetween the said means and rotatable memher, and gearing forintermittently operating the rotatable member.

7. In an apparatus for transmitting electrical impulses, a rotatablepart over which a perforated tape passes, means for causing electricalcontact to be made each time a perforation of the tape passes betweenthe said means and rotatable part, and means for intermittently rotatingsaid part, said means comprising a gear wheel on the shaft of therotatable part and a pinion having a single tooth meshing with saidgear, and a motor operating the pinion.

8. In an apparatus for transmitting impulses, a rotatable member overwhich a perforated tape passes, means causing an ill) electrical contactto be made each time a perforation of the tape passes between the saidmeans and the rotatable member, gearing for intermittently operating therotatable member, and means for regulating the duration of time ofcontact.

9. In an apparatus for transmitting impulses, a rotatable member overwhich a perforated tape passes, means for making electrical contact eachtime a perforation of the tape passes between the said means and r0-tatable member, means for operating thevrotatable member, and means forregulating the duration of time of contact, said means comprising avariable cam and an adjustable contact having a member engaging the cam.

10. In an apparatus for transmitting impulses, a rotatable member overwhich a perforated tape passes, means for making electrical contact eachtime a perforation of the tape passes between the said means androtatable member, and means for regulating the duration of time ofcontact, sald means comprising a variable cam, a contact member having aportion engaging the cam, a nut upon which the contact member ismounted, and a screw upon which the nut is mounted.

11. In apparatus for transmitting imu pulses, a rotatable drum providedupon its periphery with recesses, a movable contact member disposed nearthe drum, a control pin arranged between the drum and contact member tonormally oppose the movement of the contact member in one direction, apressing foot arranged near the drum to contact with a perforated tapepassing over the same, and means for substantially simultaneously movingthe control pin and pressing foot away from the drum.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence oft-two witnesses.

HENRY KINGSFORD HARRIS.

Witnesses:

A. E. VIDAL, L. SrMMoNDs.

Copies ofi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

